Pirate baseball drops three, evens conference record

SUN photo/Mike PiercePirate junior Marcos Quezada swings for the ball during last Saturday’s first half of a doubleheader against Alamosa that was held in Pagosa Springs. Quezada went two for four with two runs scored in the game, which the Pirates lost 8-5 in extra innings. Today, the Pirates host the Ignacio Bobcats for a nonleague affair.

Staff Writer

The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate baseball team failed to extend its five-game winning streak over the last week, with the team now looking to end a three-game losing streak.

With the three losses, the Pirates now own a 6-5 overall record and 2-2 conference record, with two of the losses coming against the Alamosa Mean Moose, a conference opponent.

Both of the losses against Alamosa came during last Saturday’s doubleheader held in Pagosa.

Alamosa took a quick lead in Saturday’s first game, scoring two in the top of the first and adding another in the top of the second, but was unable to maintain their lead, with the game eventually going into extra innings.

Pagosa’s first run came in the bottom of the second inning and, though Alamosa added their fourth run to the scoreboard in the top of the third, Pagosa scored one run in the third and two runs in the fourth to tie the game.

Alamosa again took the lead in the top of the fifth, but the Pirates again tied the game in the bottom of the sixth.

With both teams held scoreless in the seventh inning, the game moved into the eighth — beyond regulation play at the high school level.

However, Pagosa was unable to keep its win streak alive in the game, giving up four runs in the top of the eighth while scoring none in the bottom of the inning (despite having two base runners), ending the game on the wrong side of the 9-5 score.

“That was a good game,” coach Jim Fait said. “We played very well.”

The coach added that Alamosa’s pitcher baffled the team with his slow curve ball, but said the team was still aggressive at the plate.

Pagosa recorded 13 hits in the game, compared to Alamosa’s 12, with several Pirates notching two hits.

Marcos Quezada went two for four in the game with two runs scored. Jack Harker went two for four with one run scored.

Joey Campbell, too, went two for four, including a double, and knocked in two RBIs. Austin Harker went two for five with one RBI, and Dean Scott went two for five with a double.

Caden Henderson recorded one hit, a double, and two RBIs in the matchup, while Kennan Goebel had a hit and a run, and Tyler Manzanares did the same.

Henderson pitched 7.1 innings in the game, giving up 11 hits, eight runs (six earned) and two walks while striking out nine.

Henderson now holds a 2.26 ERA on the season in 34 innings pitched, and has 46 strikeouts.

Scott pitched the final two outs of the game, allowing one hit and one run while walking one.

The team recorded one error in the game.

The day’s second game began much the same way for Pagosa, with Alamosa scoring one in the top of the first and three in the top of the second inning.

The Pirates scored one in the bottom of the second, and neither team scored again until the fifth inning, when each team added one run to the scoreboard.

Taking a 5-2 score into the sixth inning, the Mean Moose broke out for six runs in the top of the sixth inning, and the Pirates countered with four in the bottom of the inning.

The Mean Moose, however, scored seven in the seventh while holding the Pirates scoreless, handing an 18-6 loss to the Pirates.

“That was tough,” Fait said, indicating that a combination of losing the first game of the day in extra innings and the games being played over spring break may have contributed to the Pirates’ downfall.

The coach added, though, that the team played well through the first several innings, with four extra-base hits.

In the game, Austin Harker went two for two with a double, an RBI and three runs scored.

Henderson went two for three with two doubles, two runs scored and one RBI.

Goebel went one for three with a triple and an RBI, and Marcos Quezada claimed the team’s sixth hit.

Campbell also had an RBI in the game, and Manzanares and Scott each scored a run.

Campbell pitched six innings in the game, giving up 11 runs (5 earned) on 13 hits while walking two and striking out six.

Manzanares pitched one inning in relief, allowing seven runs (five earned) on four hits wile walking three and striking out two.

The team erred once in the game.

The Pirates fared no better during Tuesday’s game against the Sanford Indians in Sanford.

“Unfortunately, that was just not a good ball game for us,” Fait said, adding, “We should have won that game.”

Despite taking the first lead of the game by scoring two runs in the top of the first, the Pirates allowed six runs in the bottom of the inning to start Tuesday’s game.

The Indians added another to the board before the Pirates scored one in the top of the third, which was followed by two more runs from Sanford.

Pagosa matched with two runs in the top of the fourth, but, unfortunately, the Indians scored another two in the bottom of the fifth inning to win 11-5.

Manzanares led the Pirates offensively in the game, going three for four with a double, a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.

Henderson followed with two hits, including a double, and two RBIs, while Scott had two hits and two runs scored.

Quezada notched a triple and run scored in the game, Connor Brown added a hit and a run, Austin Harker added a hit and an RBI, and Goebel and Luke DeVooght each added a hit.

Briar Erskine pitched six innings in the game, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks, with 10 strikeouts.

Scott pitched in relief in the game, allowing six runs on three hits and walking two.

Now, the Pirates will look to get back on track today as they welcome the 2A Ignacio Bobcats to Pagosa and during Saturday’s league doubleheader in Centauri.

“We’ve got to get this thing turned around,” Fait said.

Looking to this weekend’s games, Fait noted that the team’s hits need to be more timely in order to strand fewer runners on the base paths.

Following this weekend’s games in Centauri, the Pirates will have only four more regular-season games to play — two home games against league opponent Bayfield, a rematch against Sanford in Pagosa, and a game versus Sargent in Monte Vista.